Various methods are known for encapsulation of decorative and functional items between sheet made from polyesters, polycarbonates, polyacrylates or polycarbonate/polyester miscible blends. Electrically energized materials, including devices, have been made by encapsulation with various polymers, but the devices often have poor resistance to weathering, particularly environmental moisture. Attempts of solve this problem have included the use of adhesive layers for sheet lamination, which also helps to prevent moisture penetration between layers and the use of additional moisture-resistant polymer layers in addition to the initial encapsulation layers. One problem with this approach is that adhesives typically have low glass transition temperatures (Tg) and the adhesive bonding of sheets often fails under temperatures approaching the Tg of the adhesive. These solutions increase the cost of the encapsulate devices. These problems are magnified when the electrically energized materials or devices have a large surface area, for example, greater than one square foot. Furthermore, many of the known encapsulation techniques use combinations of times, temperatures and pressures that degrade or destroy the electrically energized devices, particularly when the electrically energized devices have a large surface area.
A need exists for methods to encapsulate temperature and pressure sensitive electrically energized materials and devices with relatively thick protective polymeric layers, particularly those devices having a large surface area.